Shoukry tells Le Drian Egypt keen to continue consultation with France on GERD

CAIRO – 29 July 2021: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Egypt looks forward to continuing consultation with France on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

In a phone on Thursday with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Shoukry highlighted Egypt’s unwavering stance on the GERD issue, on top of which is the need to reach a fair solution to the issue, which achieves water security for Egypt, a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry read.

This should be achieved through a legally-binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, Shoukry said.

During the phone call, Shoukry and Le Drian discussed a number of issues of mutual concern within the framework of the continuous political coordination and consultation between the two countries.

The phone call addressed the political situation in Tunisia in light of the great interest the two countries attach to this issue, the situation in Lebanon and Egyptian-French bilateral relations.

The two ministers shared similar visions toward these issues, the statement affirmed. The ministers voiced respect to the Tunisian people’s will.

They affirmed support to Tunisian state institutions in their efforts to achieve stability and security for people and to tackle the economic crisis the country is witnessing especially in light of the coronavirus implications.

Concerning the Lebanese situation, Shoukry and Le Drian affirmed the need for the formation of a government in Lebanon as quick as possible.

A new government should be formed to put an end to the state of political impasse in the country and to start implementing the reform policies required to save Lebanon from the state of economic deterioration, the ministers affirmed.